Homebrew Giant Kin Species Details

At the highest mountain peaks — far above the slopes where trees grow and where the air is thin and the frigid winds howl — dwell the Giant kin. Few folk can claim to have seen a Giant Kin, and fewer still can claim friendship with them. Giant Kin wander a bleak realm of rock, wind, and cold. Their bodies look as if they are carved from mountain stone and give them great physical power. Their spirits take after the wandering wind, making them nomads who wander from peak to peak. Their hearts are infused with the cold regard of their frigid realm, leaving each Giant Kin with the responsibility to earn a place in the tribe or die trying.

Driven Competitors

Every day brings a new challenge to a Giant kin. Food, water, and shelter are rare in the uppermost mountain reaches. A single mistake can bring doom to an entire tribe, while an individual’s heroic effort can ensure the entire group’s survival.

Giant kin thus place a premium on self-sufficiency and individual skill. They have a compulsion to keep score, counting their deeds and tallying their accomplishments to compare to others. Giant kin love to win, but they see defeat as a prod to improve their skills.

 

Survival of the Fittest

Among giant kin, any adult who can’t contribute to the tribe is expelled. A lone giant kin has little chance of survival, especially an older or weaker one. Giant kin have little pity for adults who can’t take care of themselves, though a sick or injured individual is treated.

A permanently injured giant kin is still expected to pull his or her weight in the tribe. Typically, such a kin dies attempting to keep up, or the giant kin slips away in the night to seek the cold will of fate.

In some ways, the giant kin drive to outdo themselves feeds into the grim inevitability of their decline and death. All Giant kin would much rather die in battle, at the peak of strength and skill, than endure the slow decay of old age. Few folk have ever meet an elderly giant kin, and even those giant kin who have left their people grapple with the urge to give up their lives as their physical skills decay.

Giant Kin Traits

Giant kin are team players who aren't afraid to play dirty if they have to.

Ability Score Increase

Your Strength score increases by 3, your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Intelligence score decreases by 1.

Age

Giant kin have lifespans that can last from 200 years old to 700 years old, though most die around the age of 450 years old. They enter adulthood around the age of 130 years old.

Alignment

Giant kin society, has a strong Neutral bend. The Giant kin are always feared when near towns. They typically are good or evil, they are always pushing towards the extremes. If the leader of a tribe is Chaotic the rest of the tribe will be chaotic. Who ever is in charge is strong and his ways must be right otherwise the gods would have sent someone to kill him.

Size

Giant Kin are between 8 and 10 feet tall and weigh between 380 and 440 pounds. Your size is Large.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 40 feet.

Natural Athlete

You have proficiency in the Athletics skill.

Stone’s Endurance

You can focus yourself to occasionally shrug off injury. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to roll a d12. Add your Constitution modifier to the number rolled, and reduce the damage by that total. After you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Powerful Build

You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

Mountain Born

You’re acclimated to high altitude, including elevations above 20,000 feet. You’re also naturally adapted to cold climates, as described in chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Giant.